Steal Our Resolve

Tim Savage

Scripture

"Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my commandóbe strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:6-9)

"It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich. For the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the Lord takes care of the godly." (Psalm 37:16-17)

Observation

This was God's command to Joshua, "Be strong and courageous," He repeats it 3 times in this short passage. God knew that Joshua would be faced with events that would require him to dig deep and be strong. Leaders need God's strength to push through difficult times; they need God given courage to swim against the tides of the world. The events of the past week in Japan and the turmoil and unrest in the Middle East are powerful reminders that we are ever closer to the end days. We have seen images that show us what real destruction is like. As I watched the tsunami sweep through those Japanese communities, I had to keep reminding myself that this wasn't a movie and those pictures weren't visual effects, these were real buildings and vehicles and people.

Now, more than ever, we will need to be firmly rooted in God. The world will become more desperate the closer we get to the end and it will be harder to be a follower of Christ, not easier. We must steel our resolve now and prepare ourselves spiritually and mentally for the challenging times to come. We must decide now how we will act when faced with desperate circumstances. I watch the reports from Japan showing them a people with honor, strength and integrity and I hear experts explain that they will rise again from this disaster, but I know in my heart that they may survive the battle, but with less than 1% of the population believing in Christ they are ultimately doomed to lose the war.

Application

So, in recognizing all of this, what more can I do, as time grows short? I must take the opportunities that God gives me and make the most of them. I can't sit back and think that time is on our side. I need to be more intentional with my family, friends and neighbors and make my minutes count. Even if the end days are beyond my lifetime (and I do hope that's the case) I will never regret living more passionately for Him.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

I pray for the people of Japan and my family there. I ask that You become real to them in their time of need. I also ask for the strength and courage You granted Joshua, to lead Your people well in these increasingly turbulent times. May I be a light to Your path and an example for others to follow.